The 15-member squad could not bring along their equipment after a one-month training stint in Russia due to excess baggage.

They arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 3 and their jackets and scopes were supposed to arrive four days ago.

The National Championships is the last chance for the shooters to assess their form before the Asian Games.

This is not the first time such a slip-up has happened to the shooters.

In the 2003 Vietnam Sea Games, the shooters were left in the lurch as their guns and equipment arrived late. Some of them were forced to withdraw from their events.

The rifle shooters picked for the Doha Asian Games are Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi, Nurul Hudda Baharin, Nordalilah Abu Bakar, Cynthia Karen Leong, Muslifah Zulkifli and Mohd Hameleay Abdul Mutalib.

Muslifah, who will be making her Asian Games debut in Doha, was disappointed with the oversight as she was down to compete in her favourite event — 10 metre air rifle — yesterday.

“I really wanted to put into practice what I learned in Russia in this competition,” said Muslifah, who holds the national record of 399 points in the 10 metre air rifle.

“I wanted to know how much I have improved. It will be hard to test my skills now since this is the last event for the national shooters before the Games.”

On whether there was a possibility that her equipment would arrive before the end of the national championships, she said it was unlikely as she last heard there was a delay in the cargo.

“We have been informed by the National Shooting Association of Malaysia (NSAM) that the equipment will likely arrive on Monday,” said Muslifah, 21.

She hoped such slip-ups will not occur during the Asian Games in Doha.

“All the hard work will go down the drain if this happens in Doha,” added Muslifah.

Meanwhile, Asian Games-bound shooter Bibiana Ng of Police won the women’s 25 metre Sports Pistol with 772.9 points.

Sapiah Pilus of Armed Forces was second with 765.3 points with Pahang’s Siti Nur Masitah Mohd Bahrin third with 762.1 points.

Joseline Cheah, who will also be going to Doha, finished fourth with 760.4 points./nst.com.my